Five Ideas for Summer Learning

Sometimes it's nice to take the entire summer off from school, whether it's homeschool or public school or something in between. However most parents don't want their children to forget everything they've learned during the school year! Some parents also want their children to keep up the habit of learning throughout the summer. Here are a few simple ideas for summer learning for children - some of these we've done before and some we plan to implement this summer.

Summer Reading Programs

This may sound obvious, but there are so many people who don't utilize their library's summer reading programs! We used to travel for my husband's work and have visited many different libraries. Some libraries had amazing summer reading programs while others were just the run-of-the-mill program. Either way, it encourages your child to read. And reading is such an important skill that children need to practice all the time, even in the summer. 

Some of the programs we've attended have had different people come and talk to the kids - firemen, policemen and their dogs, magicians, puppeteers, and more. These interactive experiences act like a field trip with plenty of learning! Check out your local libraries and see if they're hosting any summer reading programs, or any other program, for your children this summer. Most libraries even have a teen summer reading program complete with games and prizes.

Spiderman, Elsa, and Anna came to one of our library summer reading programs.

Game Nights (or Days!)

Hosting a game night (or game day) with friends or family once a week would be a great way to sneak some learning in. Choose games that involve math, critical thinking skills, and even trivia! Here are few great and classic games you may want to include in your family's game closet.

• Scrabble is great for spelling!
• Monopoly (and Monopoly Jr.) involve money and counting.
• Uno is great for younger kids - color and number matching and recognition.
• Quirkle is fun and involves patterns and critical thinking.
• Triominos is like Scrabble but with numbers - tons of fun for older kids.
• Race Across the US teaching the geography of our country.
• Wordplay really gets your child's brain working (they have a child's version as well as adult!)

You can look up "educational games" on Amazon, and there are so many options! I'm sure you'll find something to engage your children's interest. 

This game, Aggravation, is a ton of fun for all ages.

Nature Study

If nature study is something you've wanted to include in your school year but never got around to it, summer is the perfect time for this! Even something as simple as a weekly nature walk and journaling activity is a wonderful learning opportunity. Take a walk in a different place each week - a park, nature center, neighbor's backyard, or local farm. 

We made these nature bracelets with packing tape.

There are also tons of nature study curriculum online. You could dive deep into any topic that interests your child - ponds, weather, plants, bugs, birds, or dirt. There are so many fun activities you can incorporate into your child's week and they'll never even know they're learning. NaturExplorers has a wide variety of affordable and comprehensive nature studies on their website.

Subscription Boxes

There are so many different options for subscription boxes - craft boxes, STEM boxes, science experiment boxes, geography boxes...there is something out there that your child would love! These would be a great resource to have on hand when you hear those dreaded words - "I'm bored!" We've used STEM boxes from Pitsco before and my boys have absolutely loved them. It's the perfect way to keep your kids busy - their hands and their minds. I would love to try out some different subscription boxes with my younger kids.

Silas made and tested out parachutes with a Pitsco box.

Field Trips

Summer is perfect for taking mini-vacations with your kids! Look around your area for some field trip opportunities. Maybe there are historical sites, science museums, petting zoos, farms, or a national park. We have a historical site within forty minutes driving distance of our house - and I've never taken my kids! That is on our list for this summer, for sure. You could coordinate with a fire station, police station, bakery, or other small business for a quick tour with your kids (and maybe invite some friends!). Sometimes the simple field trips wind up being the most memorable!

Cleveland Aquarium

Pittsburgh Zoo

These five ideas are on our summer learning bucket list. I hope to include a list of five more ideas next week! Have you done any of these? What would you add to my list?